Safety cord plug adaptor for electric outlet boxes

ABSTRACT

A safety protective cover for electrical wall outlet includes hollow housing, and means for releasably affixing same over at least one plug-in receptacle of outlet with plug-in electric cord extending from housing. Stop means on cord and housing, after plugging cord in receptacle and subsequent attachment of housing to wall outlet, effective independently of the plug to prevent unplugging of the same due to a child tugging on the cord.

United States Patent [191 Casper Y Nov. 27, 1973 [76] Inventor:

[ SAFETY CORD PLUG ADAPTOR FOR ELECTRIC OUTLET BOXES Raymond C. Casper,1655 West Market St reet, Stow, Ohio 44. .1.3.

[22] Filed: May 1, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 249,079

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,415,602 2/1947 Monaco339/77 2,526,606v 10/1950 Gregg...

2,942,226 6/1960 Low. 33 9/75P c /9 I T E /6 ll 12/1962 Thaw 339/3912/1964 Protzmann 339/82 .Primary Examiner.loseph H. McGlynnAttorneyWilliam Cleland [5 7] ABSTRACT A safety protective cover forelectrical wall outlet includes hollow housing, and means for releasablyaffixing same over at least one plug-in receptacle of outlet withplug-in electric cord extending from housing. Stop means on cord andhousing, after plugging cord in receptacle and subsequent attachment ofhousing to wall outlet, effective independently of the plug to preventunplugging of the same due to a child tugging on the cord.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SAFETY CORD PLUG ADAPTOR FOR ELECTRIC OUTLETBOXES BACKGROUND OF INVENTION l-leretofore, protective covers forelectrical outlets have been suggested in the prior art, ostensibly forthe purpose of preventing small children from removing extension cordplugs from the outlets by pulling on the cords. Such devices of knowntypes, however, have failed as safety means because,'by relativelyslight pulling effort applied to a cord, the lug thereon could be pulledfrom the electrical receptacle, and/or entirely separated from the plugwith resultant possible danger of electrical sparking and/or electricalshock. Some such devices provided in connected segments were capable ofaccidental separation in use, and/or were difficult and expensive tomanufacture.

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE According to the present invention, the improvedprotective cover includes a one-piece housing which may be provided withspaced generally cup-shaped parts, each extending from a flat basemember provided with attachment means for affixing the same to anelectrical wall outlet with said cup-shaped housing parts in cuppedrelationship over plug-in receptacles of known types on the outlets.Each said housing part may be provided with aperture means in aperipheral wall portion thereof near the base memberthereof,andextending into said base member, if necessary, for insertion of acordplug inwardly through such aperture means while the housing is free of'wall outlet. Slot means also may be provided in said peripheralwallportions of the respective housing parts to communicate with saidaperture means thereof, andextend to outer end walls of the respectivehousing parts for permitting radially inward passage of the cords toextend through the respective end wall portions,-whereby saidhousing canbe attached to the wall outlet as a unit to have the cords extended fromthe respectiveend wall portions subsequent to attachment of the cordplugs to the respective fixed receptacles. Adjustable stop means isprovided within each saidhousing partfor restraining outwardlyby-applied tension on the cord which otherwise would be likely to effectunwanted removal of the plug from the wall outlet. In other words,themain purpose of the present invention is to prevent the cords frombeing unplugged from thewall outlets without first removing the adaptorfrom the same.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a unitaryprotective cover of the character described which can only be removedfroma wall outlet by a relatively mature person, and in which means isprovided to prevent small children from unplugging extension cords fromthe wall outlet by tugging or pulling on the cord.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a protective cover of thecharacter described which lends itself to economical production, such asby use of a two-piece sectional cavity mold.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a molded protective cover, partly brokenaway and in section,.embodying the features of the invention andillustrating thecover in position for screw attachment thereof to a wallto overlie an electrical wall outlet, with pronged plugs of extensioncords inserted into plug-in outlet receptacles in known manner.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-section, on the same scale, takensubstantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and illustrating the manner ofinsertion and removal of a cord plug by means of chain-dotted and fulllines.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the protective cover as viewed from theright of FIG. 2, and on the same scale.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stop member for selective attachmentto an extension cord, and interlocking reception within hollow portionsof the protective cover.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 4, illustrating amodified form of stop member in selective fixed attachment to anextension cord. 7

Referring to the drawings generally, and to FIGS. 1 to 3 in particular,the numeral 10 designates a onepiece protective cover, of hard moldedplastic for example, adapted for fixed attachment to an electricaloutlet E in a wall W, the outlet being of known type usually providedwith two spaced plug-in receptacles R. The cover 10 includes arectangular base plate 11, adapted to overlie the outlet E, and spacedcup-shaped housings 12, 12integral with the plate 11 for presentinghollow chambers 13, 13 of the housings in overlying communication withthe spaced receptacles R. The cover 10 may be secured to the outlet E bymeans of a screw 14 adapted to be inserted through an aperture 15 in thebase plate 11, at a point centrally thereof between the housings'l2, andthreaded into the electrical outlet 3 in known manner as best shown inFIG. 2.

Each cup-shaped housing part 12 may be of molded rigid plastic, in theshape of a frustum of a pyramid for example, to have four connectingside walls 16, 16 defining the chamber 13, which is closed by a top wall17, The wall 16 of each housing 12, at corresponding ends of the plate11, may have therein an aperture 18, which can'be extended into theplate 11 if necessary, through which aperture a pronged plug P on anelectric extension cord C may be inserted, as indicated in chaindottedlines in FIG. 2, prior to securing the cover 10 to the outlet E. i

Stop means maybe adjustably affixed or provided on the respective cordC, after it is passed through the aperture l8 and after the plug P isplugged into an outlet R, to be engageable with upper portions of thehousing 16, and thereby prevent withdrawal of the cord beyond a givenextent thereof. For this purpose, a cube-shaped block 20 of suitablematerial, such as hard plastic,.may be provided with angular slot meansextending part way through the block, generally as shown in FIG. 4, and

defining angularly disposed, passage wall means, for I adjustablezig-zag distortion wedging reception of the cord C through the block 20,as shown in FIG. 2. When the cord is selectively and fixedly adjusted onthe block, the cord plug P is adapted to be plugged into the respectivereceptacle R, after which the protective cover 10 may be positioned onto the outlet E and attached thereto by means of the screw 14. When sopositioning the cover 10, the stop block 20 is easily adjustable intofull seating thereof within a complementally shaped recess 21 in therespective housing part 12.

Other stop means may be employed in place of the cube shaped block 20,such as a three-pronged E- shaped stop 23 as shown in FIG. 5. The device23 would be wedgingly adjusted on the cord C, by looping the cord asbefore, to prevent extension of cord C through the top wall 17 of therespective housing part 12. The stop 23, like the stop 20, may beproportioned for either loose or wedging reception in the housingrecesses 21, so long as the stop prevents removal of the cord plug Pfrom the receptacle R and/or separation of the cord C from the plug P.The same apertured housing walls 16 may also have a narrow slot 19therethrough, extending from the respective apertures 18 to the centerof the corresponding top wall 17. This arrangement is such that, withthe protective cover unattached with reference to the wall outlet E, theplug P can be readily inserted through the aperture 18 of a housing part12, after which the cord C can be passed through the connecting slot 19,to permit extension of the cord through the top wall 17 as shown inFIGS. 1 to 3.

In use of the protective cover 10 described above to prevent a smallchild from pulling the extension cords C from receptacles R of theelectrical outlet E, the cord plugs P are inserted endwise throughthe'apertures 18, prior to attachment of the cover to the outlet, asshown in chain dotted lines in FIG. 2. The cube-shaped stop members 20,are then wedgingly affixed to the cords C in closely spaced relationshipto the plugs P, as previously described and then the plugs are forciblyinserted into the receptacles R, in known manner.

Next, with the plugs P so inserted, the cords C are fed into the slots19 and drawn upwardly until the stop members 20 are complementallyreceived and seated within the recesses 21 when, at the same time, theplate 11 is seated over the outlets E, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, wherebythe cords C extend freely axially outwardly of the free ends of therespective housing parts, as shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 to 3. Uponaccomplishing this positioning of the protective cover 10, it is readilysecured firmly against the wall W, by means of the screw 14 as shown inFIG. 2.

With the protective cover 10 so affixed, a small child, upon pulling ortugging on a cord C, can only meet with resistance of the anchored stop20 (or 23), without affecting the plugged-in condition of cord plug P.Accordingly, the present invention obviates the previously experienceddanger of a small child being able to unplug an extension cord bytugging on the same.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims. As an example,it is readily apparent that the stop means 20 and 23, shown in FIGS. 4and 5, may be supplanted by means oftight knots tied peripheral andouter-end wall portions; means on said housing for affixing the same tothewall at the outlet with a said cup-shaped part in cupped relationshipover a said receptacle; aperture means provided in said cupshaped partadjacent the inner end thereof for wedging reception of a 'co'rd pluginwardly therethrough while the housing is" free of the wall outlet;slot means provided' in the wall portions of said cup-shaped part tocommunicate with said aperture means and extending to a said outer endwall, for permitting inward passage of the cord to extend through saidouter-end wall portion, whereby said housing is attachable to the walloutlet with the cord extended from the end wall portion, subsequent toattachment of the cord plug to the fixed receptacle; and stop meansadapted to be carried by a portion of said cord within said cup-shapedpart for engagement with said outer-end wall portion for restrainingoutwardly applied tension on the cord which would otherwise tend toeffect removal of the plug from the wall outlet, said stop member havingstaggered portions for wedging reception of the cord.

2. A cover for a wall outlet as in claim 1, wherein said stop member isshaped for snug complemental reception in the hollow of said cup-shapedpart, said stop member having irregular passage means extending inwardlyof a side thereof for adjusted inward wedging reception of the cordtherethrough.

3. A cover for a wall outlet as in claim 1, the hollow of saidcup-shaped part terminating in a seat portion for stop reception of saidstop member affixed on the cord.

4. A cover for a wall outlet as in claim 3, said stop member and saidseat portion being shaped for snug complemental reception of the stopmember in said seat portion.

5. A cover for a wall outlet as in claim 4, said stop member being acube-shaped block and said staggered portions thereof defining angularlydisposed connecting passages in which the cord is wedgingly gripped.

6. A cover for an electrical wall outlet as for locking attachment of anelectrical extension-cord plug to a rein the cords C per se requisitelyspaced from the plugs I P'to be in stop engagement with the outer walls17 of tions defining a zig-zag passage for tight zig-zag wedging forreception of a portion of the extension cord to extend outwardly fromthe hollow of the housing, thereby to anchor the cord to the housingagainst removal of the plug from the receptacle as by pulling actionapplied to the cord.

1. A cover for an electrical wall outlet as for locking attachment of anelectric extension-cord plug to a receptacle of the outlet comprising; ahousing including at least one hollow, generally cup-shaped part havingperipheral and outer-end wall portions; means on said housing foraffixing the same to the wall at the outlet with a said cup-shaped partin cupped relationship over a said receptacle; aperture means providedin said cupshaped part adjacent the inner end thereof for wedgingreception of a cord plug inwardly therethrough while the housing is freeof the wall outlet; slot means provided in the wall portions of saidcup-shaped part to communicate with said aperture means and extending toa said outer end wall, for permitting inward passage of the cord toextend through said outer-end wall portion, whereby said housing isattachable to the wall outlet with the cord extended from the end wallportion, subsequent to attachment of the cord plug to the fixedreceptacle; and stop means adapted to be carried by a portion of saidcord within said cup-shaped part for engagement with said outer-end wallportion for restraining outwardly applied tension on the cord whichwould otherwise tend to effect removal of the plug from the wall outlet,said stop member having staggered portions for wedging reception of thecord.
 2. A cover for a wall outlet as in claim 1, wherein said stopmember is shapEd for snug complemental reception in the hollow of saidcup-shaped part, said stop member having irregular passage meansextending inwardly of a side thereof for adjusted inward wedgingreception of the cord therethrough.
 3. A cover for a wall outlet as inclaim 1, the hollow of said cup-shaped part terminating in a seatportion for stop reception of said stop member affixed on the cord.
 4. Acover for a wall outlet as in claim 3, said stop member and said seatportion being shaped for snug complemental reception of the stop memberin said seat portion.
 5. A cover for a wall outlet as in claim 4, saidstop member being a cube-shaped block and said staggered portionsthereof defining angularly disposed connecting passages in which thecord is wedgingly gripped.
 6. A cover for an electrical wall outlet asfor locking attachment of an electrical extension-cord plug to areceptacle of the outlet comprising: a housing including at least onehollow, generally cup-shaped part having peripheral and outer-end wallportions; and a base plate affixed to the housing, an aperture meansbeing provided in housing for communicating with the hollow of said atleast one cup-shaped part, in a position of affixed attachment of thebase plate with the housing when positioned over the receptacle, andadapted to contain a said plug in said position of locking attachmentthereof with reference to the receptacle; means associated with saidhousing including staggered portions defining a zig-zag passage fortight zig-zag wedging for reception of a portion of the extension cordto extend outwardly from the hollow of the housing, thereby to anchorthe cord to the housing against removal of the plug from the receptacleas by pulling action applied to the cord.